United Nations S/2016/281

Security Council Distr.: General

28 March 2016

Original: English

16-04470 (E) 290316

*1604470*

Report of the Secretary-General on the situation in Mali

I. Introduction

1. The present report is submitted pursuant to Security Council resolution 2227

(2015), by which the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations

Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) until

30 June 2016 and requested me to report every three months on the situation in

Mali, focusing on progress in the implementation of the Agreement on Peace and

Reconciliation in Mali and the efforts of MINUSMA to support it. It covers the

period from 17 December 2015 to 18 March 2016.

II. Major political developments

2. While the reporting period was characterized by some progress in the

implementation of the peace agreement, maintaining the new momentum that had

emerged towards the end of 2015, significant challenges remained. The Government

took steps to advance political and institutional reforms, decentralization and the

cantonment and disarmament, demobilization and reintegration processes. The

Government, the Coordination des mouvements de l’Azawad (CMA) and the

Platform coalition of armed groups constructively participated in all deliberations of

the Agreement Monitoring Committee and renewed their commitment to

accelerating the implementation of the agreement. Those positive developments

notwithstanding, the reporting period also saw continued delays in the

implementation of key provisions of the agreement, such as the establishment of

interim authorities in the north. This has been the priority of the signatory armed

groups.

Implementation of the peace agreement: political and

institutional measures

3. On 18 January, in Algiers, Algeria convened a high -level consultative meeting

of the members of the Agreement Monitoring Committee to encourage the Malian

parties to revive the peace process and implement the agreement without further

delay. During that meeting, which was attended by the Government, the signatory

armed groups and my new Special Representative for Mali and Head of

MINUSMA, Mahamat Saleh Annadif, the international mediation team agreed on

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the importance of moving forward with the implementation of the security

provisions of the agreement, in particular cantonment and mixed patrols. The team

strongly encouraged the Malian parties to also accelerate the implementation of

other critical aspects of the agreement, especially matters relating to

decentralization, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, security sector

reform, national reconciliation and development in the north. The participants

deplored the deterioration of the security situation and stressed the need to enhance

communication among the parties on the implementation process. The Government

was represented by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Abdoulaye Diop, who reported

on the steps taken to advance the peace process, including meetings of the nation al

committee for the coordination of the implementation of the peace agreement and

measures taken towards the establishment of interim authorities. CMA and the

Platform, which had expressed frustration at the slow pace of implementation of the

agreement, circulated a document on its status, highlighting shortcomings in the

Government’s engagement. The signatory armed groups also expressed hesitation at

the idea of proceeding with the cantonment process while progress on political and

institutional reforms remained limited. They called for a balanced implementation

of the provisions of the agreement.

4. Subsequently, the Government took further steps to accelerate the

implementation of the institutional reforms envisaged in the agreement. On

19 January, it appointed governors for the regions of Ménaka (formerly part of the

Gao region) and Taoudenni (formerly part of the Timbuktu region), which were

created through legislation that had been passed in March 2012 but left

unimplemented. CMA, the Platform and the traditional authorities of the two

regions welcomed the nominations. The effective administration of the two regions

still requires the appointment of local authorities, however. On 24 February, the

Council of Ministers approved a bill to revise the Local Government Code of 2012

and a decree on the modalities for the implementation of the interim authorities,

which remained pending ratification by the National Assembly.

5. On 25 January, under the auspices of the High Representative of the African

Union for Mali and the Sahel, CMA and the Platform reached an agreement on

representation in the Agreement Monitoring Committee, which had remained a point

of contention since the signature of the peace agreement. They agreed to allocate

both the Coalition du peuple de l’Azawad and the Coordination des mouvements et

forces patriotiques et de résistance II one additional seat each in the Committee and

one seat each in one of the subcommittees of their choice under the umbrella of

CMA.

6. From 19 to 26 February, the Government, CMA and the Platform met in

Bamako with a view to accelerating the implementation of the peace agreement.

After the conclusion of the tripartite consultations, the President, Ibrahim Boubacar

Keita, chaired a meeting with CMA and the Platform on 27 February. The signatory

parties announced in a joint statement following that meeting that they had agreed

on an implementation timeline for March and April, focusing on the establishment

of interim authorities for the north and progress in security conditions, cantonment

and the expeditious implementation of the provisions of the agreement relating to

the preparations for elections. They also committed themselves to holding a

long-planned tripartite reconciliation meeting in Kidal from 27 to 30 March.

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7. From 9 to 10 March, the Agreement Monitoring Committee held its seventh

meeting, in Bamako. It welcomed the joint statement and the planned reconciliation

meeting mentioned above. With regard to the latter, it called upon the parties to

ensure a successful meeting and to make progress in national reconciliation, as

envisaged in the peace agreement. However, it pointed to the absence of progress in

taking forward several recommendations made at the previous meeting on the

implementation of the agreement, such as the establishment of interim authorities in

the north and the launch of mixed patrols by the Operational Coordination

Mechanism, and urged the Malian parties to redouble their efforts to deliver results

by the time of the next meeting, scheduled for April. The pending establishment of

interim authorities remained a contentious issue between the Government and the

signatory armed groups, with the latter insisting that they would not commit

themselves to participating in the cantonment process unless the Government

established the authorities. On the development front, the Committee approved the

final report of the joint evaluation mission to the north, which will inform the

development strategy for the north being prepared by the Government. It also

approved the arrangement brokered on representation in the Committee referred to

in paragraph 5 above.

8. CMA and the Platform also continued to address unresolved issues outside the

formal mechanisms of the peace agreement and within the framework of bi lateral

arrangements. On 2 February, some 250 armed members of the Groupe

d’autodéfense Touaregs imghads et alliés, part of the Platform coalition, entered the

CMA stronghold of Kidal with a large number of vehicles. The Secretary -General of

the group, Fahad Ag Almahmoud, argued that it had acted on the understandings

reached in Anefis i-n-Darane with CMA in October 2015. CMA contested that

assertion, alleging the lack of prior notification by the group of its movement. My

Special Representative used his good offices to open communication channels

among the Government, CMA, the Platform and the international mediation team to

de-escalate tensions. On 6 February, CMA and the Platform issued a statement in

which they agreed that the Platform would reduce its military presence in Kidal and

be included in the administrative structure of the town. On 7 February, the Platform

established a regional bureau in Kidal.

9. Progress was also made in identifying and registering 33 legislative texts, as

required under the peace agreement, with MINUSMA support. On 9 February, the

committee established by the Ministry of Territorial Administration in November

2015 to review the electoral legislation and the Charter of Political Parties

submitted a report recommending, among other things, the establishment of a single

electoral management body and direct universal suffrage for the election of

territorial advisers. A subcommittee on institutional and political reforms is

expected to review the electoral bill before its submission to the National Assembly

in April.

10. The legislative by-elections held in Ansongo (Gao region) on 10 and

31 January revealed the security and political challenges facing future elections in

the north. Voting was conducted in all six municipalities, except Talatayé.

Beforehand, CMA wrote to the prefect of Ansongo to strongly voice its opposition

to the holding of elections, owing to the lack of consultation. On 9 January, the

Malian armed forces escorting the sub-prefect and electoral materials to Talatayé

were met with a local protest, prompting the Government to cancel the elections

there. On 28 January, CMA issued a press release in which it expressed support for

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the local opposition to elections in Talatayé, stating that, in accordance with the

peace agreement, no elections should be held before the establishment of the interim

authorities. While the Mission facilitated dialogue between the Government and

CMA to prevent an escalation of tensions, voting was not conducted in Talatayé.

11. On 31 December, the Council of Ministers adopted a new decree concerning

the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission, by which it increased the number

of commissioners from 15 to 25 and created regional offices, regional consultative

councils and five thematic subcommissions. The increase in the number of

commissioners was aimed at addressing claims by CMA and the Platform that they

were underrepresented in the Commission.

12. MINUSMA continued to support the Ministry of National Reconciliation and

the national federation of women’s organizations and trained 120 traditional,

religious and other community leaders in Gao, Mopti and Timbuktu with a view to

fostering a better understanding of the peace agreement. On 18 December, the

President signed a decree providing for a 30 per cent quota for the appointment of

women in national institutions and legislative bodies, following the adoption of the

bill by the National Assembly during the previous reporting period. Notwithstanding

the signing of the decree and the efforts of the Ministry for the Advancement of

Women, Children and Families to promote the effective participation of women and

young people in the implementation of the agreement, their involvement remained

limited.

Other political developments

13. Since my previous report (S/2015/1030), owing to persistent security

concerns, there has been little change in the number of government officials present

at their duty stations in northern Mali, except for the deployment of a prefect to

Ténenkou, in the Mopti region. The overall number of government officials absent

from their duty stations at the sub-prefect level remained at some 49 per cent. In

Gao, there was no increase in the number of sub-prefects deployed to the region

(4 of 16). In Timbuktu, the number of sub-prefects stood at 13 of 31, given that

7 retired and others abandoned their duty stations in the light of security concerns.

In Mopti, although all eight prefects were in place, security threats forced 20 of the

55 sub-prefects to work from their regional offices. No government official was

deployed to Kidal. Some communities in the north, especially in Kidal, where

traditional judges (cadis) are most prominent, expressed their preference for

traditional justice mechanisms.

14. On 15 January, the President reshuffled the Cabinet, increasing the number of

ministers from 31 to 32 and the number of women from five to six. It was the third

reshuffle since the appointment of the current Prime Minister, Modibo Keita, in

January 2015.

15. The international community devoted considerable attention to Mali and the

peace process during the reporting period. The Security Council visited Mali,

including Mopti and Timbuktu, from 4 to 7 March. On 12 February, during his visit

to the country, the President of Germany announced the deployment of up to 650

soldiers to MINUSMA. On 19 February, also in the context of a visit to Mali, the

Prime Minister of France expressed continuing support for the peace process and

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indicated his country’s willingness to maintain the presence of French forces in

order to sustain counter-terrorism efforts.

Regional cooperation in the Sahel

16. Following the deadly terrorist attacks in the capitals of Mali and Burkina Faso

on 20 November and 15 January, respectively, the Heads of State of the Group of

Five for the Sahel met on 31 January on the margins of the twenty -sixth ordinary

session of the Assembly of the African Union, in Addis Ababa, to discuss joint

efforts to tackle common security threats, such as terrorism, organized crime, drug

trafficking, radicalization and violent extremism. On 4 March, during a meeting in

N’Djamena, the ministers of defence of the Group of Five for the Sahel discussed

military, security and intelligence mechanisms to tackle the threat of terrorism. The

creation of a specialized rapid reaction force was also considered.

III. Major security developments

17. While some steps were taken in the implementation of key defence and

security provisions of the peace agreement, including beginning the construction of

three cantonment sites, the security situation did not improve, even in the absence of

fighting among the signatories. The Malian defence and security forces, the French

forces and MINUSMA remained the primary targets of attacks by extremist and

terrorist groups. Notwithstanding several intercommunal agreements mentioned in

my previous report, long-standing tensions continued, especially in Ménaka. The

MINUSMA force continued to face difficulties in allocating adequate resources to

implement mandated tasks owing to the need to escort convoys and protect

cantonment sites in the light of the prevailing security situation.

Asymmetric and extremist attacks

18. Extremist and terrorist groups maintained their determination to undermine the

peace process, increasingly targeting its supporters, including the signatory parties,

civilians, civil servants and the international presences in the central and northern

regions. Threats and intimidation campaigns against civilians by the Front de

libération du Macina and Ansar Eddine in Mopti, in addition to Al -Qaida in the

Islamic Maghreb in Timbuktu, intensified, including, increasingly, through targeted

attacks. For example, on 17 December, armed assailants shot and killed three

civilians — a journalist, a student and a MINUSMA local contractor — in front of a

local radio station in Timbuktu. On 24 January, a member of the National Guard

thwarted an attack by two armed men against the residence of the newly arrived

prosecutor in Gao. Three instances of beheadings of presumed informants working

for the Malian armed forces reportedly took place in the Mopti region.

19. Violent extremist and terrorist groups operated in the northern and central

parts of the country and across borders. The Front de libération du Macina

continued to threaten Mopti, Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb retained its foothold

in Timbuktu and Ansar Eddine continued to operate in Kidal. There was evidence of

increasing cooperation among the extremist and terrorist groups in Mali and across

the Sahel. The attack of 15 January in Ouagadougou, where armed assailants

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attacked a hotel with a modus operandi similar to the attack of 20 November against

a hotel in Bamako, was reportedly perpetrated by three Malians. The abduction of a

foreigner in Timbuktu on 7 January and two other foreigners from Burkina Faso on

15 January, for which Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb claimed responsibility,

signalled a potential increase in the targeting of foreigners in the band stretching

across central and northern Mali, Burkina Faso and the Niger.

20. During the reporting period, MINUSMA recorded 20 violent extremist and

terrorist attacks against it, compared with 25 during the previous reporting period.

Those hostile acts left seven peacekeepers, one civilian staff member and two

civilian contractors dead, compared with two peacekeepers, one civilian staff

member and one civilian contractor during the previous reporting period. The

attacks were increasingly sophisticated, using rockets and mortars, roadside

explosive devices and suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices. One of

the deadliest attacks occurred on 12 February, when unidentified assailants launched

a complex attack against the camp in Kidal. It began with mortar fire on the

northern part of the camp, while a suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive

device breached the south gate, killing 7 peacekeepers and wounding 53 others. The

attack was reportedly claimed by both Al Mourabitoun and Ansar Eddine. The

reporting period also saw 19 attacks against the Malian armed forces and 2 against

the French forces, resulting in 17 fatalities for the former.

21. The Malian defence and security forces, the French forces and MINUSMA,

within their respective capacities and mandates, continued to support the creation of

a secure environment in northern Mali. Under separate lines of command,

MINUSMA conducted coordinated patrols with the Malian armed forces, while also

continuing its coordination with French forces.

22. The Malian armed forces conducted three counter-terrorism operations in the

Mopti and Ségou regions, resulting in the arrests of at least 13 suspected terrorists,

the majority of whom were from the Fulani community. Between 13 December and

16 January, the armed forces of Burkina Faso and Mali carried out joint

cross-border counter-terrorism operations. On 29 February, the French and Malian

forces launched a one-month counter-terrorism operation in the Timbuktu region.

Following an increase in crime in the region since the end of December, the Malian

armed forces established checkpoints in Timbuktu, while CMA and the Platform

were in discussion with the Malian armed forces to begin joint patrols outside the

town.

23. The Mouvement national de libération de l’Azawad (MNLA), part of CMA,

increasingly became a target of extremist and terrorist groups during the reporting

period. On 24 December, Ansar Eddine attacked the MNLA-controlled locality of

Talhandak, near the Algerian border in the Kidal region, kil ling at least 11 MNLA

combatants. Another four combatants, including Balla Ag Cherif, the younger

brother of the MNLA leader, Bilal Ag Cherif, were killed in an ambush of a convoy

sent in response to that attack. MNLA accused the Haut Conseil pour l ’unité de

l’Azawad, whose combatants formerly fought with Ansar Eddine, of not supporting

efforts to combat terrorists.

24. MINUSMA continued to provide capacity-building assistance to the Malian

defence and security forces. Its police officers provided technical assistance to a

specialized unit of the national police and gendarmerie investigating the attack of

20 November. Together with the United Nations Development Programme and the

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United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, MINUSMA supported the Malian

authorities in operationalizing a specialized judicial unit on terrorism and

transnational organized crime. On 31 December, the Malian authorities adopted

three decrees filling key posts of magistrates throughout Mali, including two

substitute prosecutors to augment the capacity of the unit. The United Nations Mine

Action Service trained more than 40 officers of the Malian defence and security

forces in explosive ordnance disposal, improvised explosive device threat mitigation

and weapon and ammunition management.

Ceasefire monitoring

25. As at 18 March, all 40 MINUSMA military observers had been deployed, 32

of whom to the north, where they conducted 212 patrols and established contacts

with the military leadership of the signatory armed groups to monitor the local

ceasefire arrangements between CMA and the Platform. They also conducted four

joint investigations with the mixed monitoring and verification teams on potential

ceasefire violations, finding no evidence of violations. At its meeting on 18 and

19 February, the Technical Commission on Security discussed a report of the mixed

teams on the alleged ceasefire violation committed by the Malian armed forces in

Zinzin, in the Timbukutu region, on 15 January; it concluded that the allegation

could not be substantiated.

Implementation of the peace agreement: defence and

security measures

26. Progress was made on some defence and security measures of the peace

agreement during the period under review. On 29 December, with funds from the

Peacebuilding Fund, the construction of two cantonment sites began in Likrakar

(Timbuktu region) and Fafa (Gao region), thereby providing employment to local

young people. The construction of the site at I-n-Eggar (Gao region) began on

26 January, following the clearance of potential explosives by the United Nations

Mine Action Service. The Technical Commission on Security technically assessed

18 of the 24 cantonment sites proposed by CMA and the Platform, validating 17.

During its meeting on 18 and 19 February, it gave the go-ahead for construction to

begin on the five remaining sites (four proposed by CMA and one by the Platform).

The Government also reported on its programme to provide rations to 14,400

combatants and fuel in the pre-cantonment phase; it provided the in-kind

contribution to the CMA and Platform combatants for February. CMA and the

Platform were requested to submit the lists of combatants and an inventory of their

armaments, a prerequisite for the launch of the cantonment process.

27. At the time of writing, the Operational Coordination Mechanism, responsible

for establishing the mixed patrols and protecting the cantonment sites, was yet to

begin work. At its meeting on 18 and 19 February, the Technical Commission on

Security requested CMA and the Platform to provide a list of participants for the

first mixed patrols to be conducted in the Gao region. The Government announced

that it had procured 32 vehicles for the patrols. It also agreed to provide an

allowance for food and operational costs to the CMA and Platform representatives

participating in the Mechanism, while MINUSMA provided funds to secure some of

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the office equipment and furniture needed for the Mechanism to be made

operational. The MINUSMA force protected United Nations personnel present at the

cantonment sites under construction.

28. On 31 December, the President signed decrees establishing national

commissions on disarmament, demobilization and reintegration and on integration.

MINUSMA supported the Government to expedite the appointment o f the members

of the two commissions and to finalize the revision of legislation governing the

National Council for Security Sector Reform, which are critical to advancing the

cantonment process. MINUSMA, in collaboration with the World Bank, continued

to support the Malian authorities in drafting a national programme document for

disarmament, demobilization and reintegration. The Government continued its

efforts to strengthen democratic oversight of the security sector and, in that context,

held a workshop supported by MINUSMA on 8 and 9 March to discuss the

oversight role of the National Assembly and the development of a triennial strategic

plan for 2016-2019 and an action plan for 2016 in support of the Assembly. The

Mission also supported the Malian authorities in implementing the military

programming law, the formulation of defence and security policies and the revision

of the national strategy on border management.

Protection of civilians

29. Armed banditry constituted the most significant threat to civilians, accounting

for 45 per cent of all incidents in Timbuktu and 25 per cent in Gao and Mopti. As

mentioned above, threats and intimidation by extremist and terrorist groups

targeting civilians, including civil servants and informants of the Mali an armed

forces, increased in the central and northern regions. Nevertheless, MINUSMA

police personnel conducted 2,479 joint patrols with the Malian police in urban

areas. In addition, the MINUSMA force adopted a robust and visible posture by

increasing the frequency of its long-range patrols in the vicinity of Ansongo (Gao

region), Gao, Kidal and Ménaka and using its aviation assets and unmanned aerial

vehicles to monitor remote areas and discourage violence. In the Timbuktu region,

MINUSMA conducted an average of four reconnaissance flights per week over Ber,

Goundam and Gourma Rharous to monitor the movements of armed groups and

reassure the population. On 10 March, the Mission launched a 10 -day combined air

and ground operation in the Mopti and Timbuktu regions to protect civilians and

deter extremist and terrorist groups from poaching elephants.

30. Intercommunal conflict persisted in the Ménaka and Timbuktu regions. The

series of clashes between the Daoussak and the Ibogaletane communities, as well as

between the Daoussak and the Fulani communities, reported since 16 February in

the Ménaka region left more than 20 people dead and some 2,280 displaced. On

20 February, members of the Daoussak community attacked a camp of the

Ibogaletane community near Inékar, 45 km west of Ménaka, reportedly killing six

members of that community and kidnapping two others. On 22 February, the Malian

armed forces deployed to Inékar to de-escalate tensions and to enable access for

humanitarian organizations to provide assistance to the population. Local

reconciliation meetings in Inékar were cancelled following renewed fighting

between the Daoussak and the Ibogaletane communities and between the Daoussak

and the Fulani communities from 25 to 29 February. On 29 February, CMA and the

Platform established a joint commission to ease the intercommunal tensions in the

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region. The risk of escalation of those community conflicts remained high in an

environment characterized by the proliferation of weapons, illicit drug trafficking

and the presence of armed groups, as well as extremist and terrorist groups with

links to various communities. On 20 January, an unknown number of members of

the Daoussak community reportedly entered the Niger and attacked a Fulani camp

18 km north of Bani Bangou and a location 32 km south of the border with Mali,

allegedly killing seven individuals and injuring three. Further to accounts of violent

clashes in my previous report between members of two Tuareg communities, the

Daoussak and the Imghad in the Ménaka area, the leaders of both communities

issued a joint statement in Bamako on 9 March in which they announced that an

agreement to end hostilities had been reached.

IV. Human rights

31. The human rights situation remained of serious concern during the reporting

period. MINUSMA documented human rights violations and abuses committed by

the Malian defence and security forces, CMA, the Platform, other armed groups,

violent extremist and terrorist groups and international forces. A total of 34 cases of

human rights violations and abuses, involving at least 53 victims, were reported,

mostly in the Kidal, Mopti and Timbuktu regions, compared with 25 cases and

157 victims in my previous report. The cases involved 17 instances of killing,

summary execution and enforced disappearance, 12 instances of ill-treatment, 2

instances of a death threat and 1 instance of illegal detention.

32. As at 18 March, MINUSMA had identified 265 conflict- and terrorism-related

detainees, including 4 boys and 72 individuals newly arrested, held in State-run

detention facilities throughout the country. Of those, 124 had been arrested after the

signing of the peace agreement in June 2015 for their alleged involvement in

terrorism-related activities. In February, CMA freed six members of the Malian

defence and security forces, while the Government released nine individuals,

including a boy and four men, associated with CMA. CMA continued to detain six

Platform combatants, while the Platform continued to detain a CMA combatant. In

the context of the counter-terrorism operations mentioned above, MINUSMA

documented that 6 of 13 persons arrested had been subjected to ill -treatment by the

Malian armed forces.

33. Progress in combating impunity remained slow. Major impediments to

criminal proceedings included the lack of logistical resources for magistrates,

insecurity preventing the judicial authorities from effectively carrying out

investigations, especially in the north, and the unconditional release of some

detainees. In a positive development, the Bamako Appeals Court issued an order on

22 December to refer General Amadou Haya Sanogo and all the other suspects or

suspected accomplices for trial. The trial date is pending.

34. On 12 February, as a result of MINUSMA advocacy, CMA signed a

declaration in which it committed itself to abiding by international standards and to

respecting the international ban on the recruitment and involvement of children in

armed forces and armed groups.

35. No new cases of conflict-related sexual violence were reported to MINUSMA.

Continuing security threats combined with sociocultural inhibitions and fear of

reprisals may have hindered the monitoring and reporting of new cases. The Malian

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judiciary investigated conflict-related sexual violence committed in 2012. A total of

19 women were heard by an investigating judge in Bamako, with support from the

MINUSMA trust fund for the protection of victims, witnesses and their rights,

which provides safety measures for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence. On

26 January, 45 parliamentarians and members of civil society engaged in advocacy

with the National Assembly for the adoption of a law strengthening efforts to

combat gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence.

36. On 22 December, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for

Human Rights released joint reports, with MINUSMA, on the attack in Kidal in

May 2014 and on the main findings of the attack on Tin Hama, Gao region, in May

2015. The human rights violations and abuses documented during those attacks may

amount to war crimes. While calling for the prosecution of the perpetrators of those

crimes, MINUSMA and the Office stressed the need for the parties to comp ly with

their obligations under international human rights and humanitarian law and to take

measures to strengthen the protection of civilians. The Mission’s continuous

advocacy notwithstanding, the Malian judicial authorities did not initiate criminal

proceedings in relation to those human rights violations and abuses during the

reporting period.

V. Humanitarian situation

37. The overall trend of schools reopening in the north notwithstanding, 12 per

cent of preschool, elementary and junior high schools remained closed in the Gao,

Kidal and Timbuktu regions, with 380,000 children between 7 and 15 years of age

in the north remaining out of school. In Kidal, 3,811 children in the 21 open schools

received education from 76 volunteer and 8 paid teachers (of the 370 required for

the 62 schools in Kidal). The deteriorating security situation in some parts of the

Mopti region led to 8 per cent of schools being closed, increasing the number from

84 to 117. In the Ségou region, 20 primary and junior high schools were temporarily

closed in the light of the worsening security situation. The World Food Programme

(WFP) provided school meals to 155,094 children, half of whom were girls, in

primary schools in the Gao, Kayes, Koulikoro, Mopti and Timbuktu regions. In

February, WFP again began to provide meal assistance to 11 primary schools in

Kidal. The United Nations Children’s Fund provided school materials and training

to educators in 16 schools and 44 accelerated learning centres in Kidal.

38. Access to basic services remained a challenge in northern Mali. The number of

functioning health facilities remained limited, with only 10 of 26 open in Kidal. The

World Health Organization restored 186 of 203 health facilities in the Gao, Mopti

and Timbuktu regions. The lack of investment in public infrastructure, such as wells

and generators, continued to constrain access to water and electricity. Food

insecurity was affecting 2.5 million of 17 million people, of whom 315,000 were

expected to face severe food insecurity during the lean season. In that context, WFP

provided food assistance to more than 350,000 people in the north every month and

the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations provided agriculture

and pastoral tools and kits to in excess of 26,000 households.

39. As at 18 March, there were some 52,000 internally displaced persons in Mali

and 143,300 Malian refugees in Burkina Faso, Mauritania and the Niger. The Gao

and Timbuktu regions continued to have the highest proportion of internally

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displaced persons. A total of 23 per cent of Malian refugees residing in

neighbouring countries originated from the Ménaka region. On 1 January, the Office

of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees opened an office in

Ménaka. On 17 January, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

deployed a national liaison officer to Kidal to facilitate humanitarian coordination in

the region. The Kidal airstrip reopened on 29 January.

40. The United Nations Mine Action Service continued to educate

conflict-affected communities in central and northern Mali about explosive hazards,

reaching some 13,700 beneficiaries, and destroyed 32 explosive remnants of war

and 37 rounds of small arms ammunition.

VI. Economic development, cultural preservation and the environment

41. There was little progress in the delivery of peace dividends and the return of

basic services to the north by the Government. The finalization of its development

strategy for the northern regions, including a national emergency response plan,

remained pending. Government-led development initiatives were constrained by the

prevalence of insecurity, the lack of basic infrastructure and the limited

redeployment of government officials to the north.

42. In support of the Government, MINUSMA implemented quick-impact projects

in areas such as the rehabilitation and equipping of government facilities in the

northern regions. It also used quick-impact projects and the Trust Fund in Support

of Peace and Security in Mali, among other resources, to deliver much-needed basic

services directly to the population in the north. Furthermore, the Mission

contributed to expanding access to potable water in rural areas of the Gao, Kidal,

Mopti and Timbuktu regions, distributed solar-powered electricity kits to improve

physical security and living conditions in Kidal and provided school materials and

equipment to schools in Timbuktu.

43. In addition to the efforts made by humanitarian actors described above, United

Nations agencies, funds and programmes made significant contributions to bridge

the service delivery gap in the northern regions, notwithstanding the limited access

stemming from persistent insecurity. During the reporting period, the Peacebuilding

Fund reached a disbursement of some 75 per cent of its total allocation of

$10.9 million for the period 2015/16. Its financing enabled the resumption of

education activities through the opening of 150 education centres for 4,500 children,

with 105 educators. The Fund also financed income -generating activities for an

estimated 300 women and young people, in addition to supporting intercommunal

dialogue in the Gao and Timbuktu regions.

44. MINUSMA and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural

Organization undertook various heritage-related initiatives. On 4 February, a

consecration ceremony, last held in the eleventh century, was conducted by local

communities to mark the reconstruction of 14 of 16 World Heritage mausoleums in

Timbuktu destroyed during the conflict.

45. MINUSMA continued to take measures to mitigate its environmental impact in

Mali. On 1 January, it adopted new waste management measures to enforce

requirements on waste segregation, recycling and volume reduction, in accordance

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with the provisions of the environmental policy of the Department of Field Support

and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations for United Nations field missions.

VII. Deployment and capacities of the Mission

Military

46. As at 18 March, the strength of the military component of MINUSMA stood at

10,698 personnel, of an authorized strength of 11,240, representing 95 per cent of

authorized military personnel. Women accounted for 1.7 per cent of the force. Key

outstanding capabilities included a combat convoy battalion, a force protection

company, an attack helicopter unit and a medium military helicopter unit with

tactical night-flight capabilities. In addition, MINUSMA remained seriously

underresourced in terms of armoured personnel carriers, with 91 required to reach

the originally planned levels and 43 others in need of replacement, meaning that 134

such vehicles are needed to reach the total of 324 assessed as required by the force.

MINUSMA also continued to require additional military staff officers with

sufficient experience and skills for their duties and responsibilities, in particular for

intelligence and imagery analysis. Concerns over the operational capability of some

infantry units remained owing to the lack of sufficient items of contingent -owned

equipment and self-sustainment capabilities (11 contingents are below 60 per cent

of requirements) that meet United Nations standards. The support of bilateral

partners is also required in such areas as maintenance of armoured personnel

carriers, capacity-building for minor engineering works, logistics support and

training to improve the asymmetric warfare capabilities of the contingents.

Police

47. As at 18 March, the strength of the police component of MINUSMA stood at

1,116 personnel, representing 78 per cent of its authorized strength of 1,440, with

84 per cent of individual police officers (11 per cent of them women) and 76 per

cent of formed police unit personnel (5 per cent of them women) deployed. The

deployment of the remaining two formed police units, to Gao and Goundam

(Timbuktu region), in addition to a special weapons and tactics capacity, is under

way. MINUSMA continued to require a small police riverine capacity and additional

specialized police personnel, including experts in forensics, improvised explosive

devices, intelligence, transnational organized crime, trafficking of illicit drugs,

small arms and light weapons, counter-terrorism teams and project managers.

Civilian personnel

48. As at 18 March, 88 per cent of all MINUSMA civilian staff had been

deployed, comprising 86 per cent of international staff, 88 per cent of United

Nations volunteers and 89 per cent of national staff. Women held 30 per cent of

international posts, 32 per cent of United Nations Volunteer positions and 21 per

cent of national posts. Civilian staff had been deployed in Bamako (926), Gao

(191), Kidal (88), Mopti (98), Tessalit (19) and Timbuktu (138), as well as in

Abidjan (38).

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Efforts to secure supply lines

49. The MINUSMA force continued its efforts to secure the main supply routes by

conducting 26 escorted logistics convoy missions with the support of aviation

assets, unmanned aerial vehicles and special forces. Those efforts were essential for

the construction of MINUSMA camps, the reopening of the Kidal airfield and the

sustainment of the Mission in the regions. A backlog of containers for engineering

materials continued to accumulate in Gao, however. The lack of a combat convoy

battalion, the required armoured personnel carriers and mine -protected vehicles

restricted the Mission’s capability to conduct escort missions in non-permissive

environments and limited the number of logistics convoys in northern Mali,

negatively affecting fuel and rations delivery and construction efforts. It also

increased the cost of resupplying MINUSMA personnel in the field, given that fuel

and rations had to be airlifted to Aguelhok, Kidal and Tessalit in the Kidal region.

The continued requirements for the MINUSMA force to heavily invest in force

protection measures, including providing convoy escorts and protecting cantonment

sites, seriously hampered the Mission’s capacity to implement mandated tasks,

notwithstanding the constant reprioritization of tasks.

50. No new camps were completed during the reporting period. The reconstruction

and rehabilitation of the infrastructure destroyed in the Kidal camp in the attack of

12 February continued. In Bamako, the construction of a facility for the MINUSMA

operational base by the airport continued, while alternative premises were secured

in the city to accommodate the Mission’s headquarters. The relocation of

MINUSMA personnel from the Hotel l’Amitié should be completed by the middle

of May.

VIII. Safety and security of United Nations personnel

51. United Nations personnel continued to face a high level of security threats,

with the Mission continuing its efforts to enhance its security measures in the north.

The Kidal camp security project to install detection systems, including a tethered

balloon, a Doppler radar system and enhanced high -performance binoculars, should

reach full operational capacity in the middle of April. The surveillance systems

remained partially operational after the provisional repair of the damage caused in

the attack on the camp of 12 February, which included the perforation of the

aerostat by shrapnel and the destruction of relevant ground infrastructure, including

weather stations. The ground alert system designed to detect incoming fire was yet

to be made operational.

52. MINUSMA also took steps to increase preventive measures. The United

Nations Mine Action Service delivered predeployment training and equipment to

explosive ordnance device military contingents and provided infantry battalions

with search and detection training and equipment for identifying explosive threats.

The use of armoured personnel carriers by the MINUSMA force and police to pass

through high-risk areas resulted in a dramatic decrease in casualties.

53. In the light of the deteriorating security situation and the elevated level of

security threats against United Nations personnel, a joint strategic security review

was undertaken from 19 to 25 January to identify systemic prevention, mitigation

and response measures. The recommendations highlighted the urgency of advancing

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security sector reform and implementing the security provisions of the peace

agreement as a key factor for the security of United Nations personnel and reiterated

the Mission’s acute need for key capabilities, such as armoured personnel carriers

and enhanced medical evacuation capabilities. The recommendations are being

taken into account in the strategic review on MINUSMA, which will conclude in

May. As recommended, MINUSMA is adjusting its security plans, coordination

mechanisms and training programme, in addition to developing additional tactical

intervention capacity and contingency plans.

IX. Conduct and discipline

54. During the reporting period, no allegation of sexual exploitation and abuse

was made. For the allegation of sexual abuse made during the previous reporting

period, the Member State concerned conducted an investigation in Mali and

concluded that it could not be substantiated. MINUSMA and its partners provided

medical support to the alleged victim. The Mission continued to inform the public

about the expected standards of conduct for United Nations personnel, focusing on

the commitment to implement the policy of zero tolerance to sexual exploitation and

abuse within the Mission. MINUSMA reached out to partners, including religious

leaders, law enforcement authorities and local and international non-governmental

organizations, stressing the importance of preventing sexual exploitation and abuse

and reporting such cases.

X. Observations

55. Mali has negotiated a long and difficult road over the past year with

considerable successes, culminating in the signing of the peace agreement in 2015

and the rapprochement between the signatory armed groups. I am encouraged to see

that the signatories have refrained from resorting to violence and remain committed

to resolving differences through discussions. I commend all the Malian parties for

constructively participating in the Agreement Monitoring Committee and

demonstrating gestures of political will to advance the peace process in the best

interest of the people. In particular, I commend the efforts by the Government to

implement political and institutional reforms and decentralization, which have been

the priority demand of the signatory armed groups.

56. I remain concerned, however, that actual progress in the implementation o f the

peace agreement remains limited. The high-level consultative ministerial meeting

held in Algiers on 18 January offered an opportunity for the members of the

international mediation team to impress on the parties the need to accelerate the

implementation process. The Security Council, while visiting Mali from 4 to

7 March, also emphasized the importance of an expeditious implementation and the

key role that the Government must play to tackle the political and security

challenges. To ensure that the Malian people enjoy the dividends of peace, security,

human rights and development that they deserve, more needs to be done to bring

tangible progress without further delay. The parties must adhere to article 50 of the

agreement, in which they recognized that the most important element in making the

agreement a success was their sincerity and good faith and their commitment to

accept the content of the agreement and to work to implement all its provisions. I

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urge all the Malian parties to accelerate the implementation of the agreement in full,

especially the political and security provisions that underpin the successful

execution of all other provisions. The Government’s leadership in making progress

on those provisions will be critical.

57. To sustain the positive steps achieved since the consultations in Algiers, there

must be inclusive and transparent consultations with all stakeholders concerned. I

call upon the signatory parties to include women and young people in all key

implementation mechanisms of the agreement and in the national reconciliation

conference planned for later in 2016. The adoption by the Government of a decree

providing for a 30 per cent quota for the appointment of women in national

institutions and legislative bodies was a welcome development. In the same vein, I

encourage CMA and the Platform to continue constructive consultations in the

framework of the talks held in Anefis i-n-Darane. The tensions resulting from the

Platform’s entry into Kidal on 2 February highlight a need to ensure that parallel

bilateral agreements are clearly linked to the overall framework of the peace

agreement, so as to facilitate progress in implementation and contribute to the

resolution of intercommunal conflicts.

58. I welcome the efforts of the Technical Commission on Security to implement

security arrangements, in particular the launch of the construction of cantonment

sites and the monitoring and verification of ceasefire violations through the mixed

monitoring and verification teams. The Commission remains an important

mechanism to facilitate the implementation of key defence and security provisions

of the agreement. I call upon all parties to fully cooperate with its work, to expedite

the establishment of the Operational Coordination Mechanism and to provide the

lists of participants in the mixed patrols and the cantonment process. In the

disarmament, demobilization and reintegration process, I stress that the Government

must ensure the protection of women and children who are victims of the conflict.

In that regard, I call upon the Government to appoint the representatives of the

Ministry for the Advancement of Women, Children and Families to the national

commissions on disarmament, demobilization and reintegration and on integration.

59. The improved relationship among the signatories notwithstanding, the

northern and central parts of Mali remain threatened by criminal, violent extremist

and terrorist groups, which take advantage of the limited presence of law

enforcement institutions. The spread of insecurity and the security threat posed by

actors outside the peace process remain alarming, as demonstrated by the attack

against the MINUSMA camp in Kidal on 12 February, which was claimed by Al

Mourabitoun and Ansar Eddine. I strongly condemn the attacks by violent extremist

and terrorist groups against civilians, signatory armed groups, the Malian and

French forces and MINUSMA, which remain the target of asymmetric and

increasingly sophisticated attacks. I reiterate that attacks targeting United Nations

peacekeepers constitute war crimes under international law and I call fo r the

perpetrators to be brought to justice. I also express my most heartfelt condolences to

the bereaved families and the Governments of those concerned, as well as to the

people and the Government of Mali who continue to suffer unconscionable losses.

60. The persistent operational difficulties faced by the MINUSMA force, coupled

with the current environment marked by insecurity, drug trafficking and terrorism,

will continue to pose significant security challenges to the Mission. I encourage all

troop-contributing countries, police-contributing countries and bilateral donors to

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sustain their efforts to ensure that all contingents have equipment and training that

meet United Nations standards. I urge the rapid deployment of the outstanding

armoured personnel carriers and the priority military and police capabilities outlined

herein and in my previous report. Bearing in mind the challenges encountered, the

Secretariat has engaged with troop- and police-contributing countries to identify

practical steps to reach the required standards. I call upon Member States that are in

a position to do so to support the troop-contributing countries.

61. The successful stabilization of Mali ultimately depends on the Government,

which must step up its efforts, including by making progress on the revision of the

2014 strategy for security sector reform to ensure the participation of CMA and the

Platform and by enhancing regional security cooperation. Given the transborder

nature of the security challenges, I reiterate the need for the Government to enhance

the presence of the Malian armed forces in the north and to create a more conducive

environment for the overall peace process and for MINUSMA. I commend the West

African region on its strong engagement in supporting the Government in its efforts

to combat violent extremism and MINUSMA in its efforts to implement its mandate

in such a volatile security environment. The United Nations stands ready to support

regional security cooperation mechanisms, including the planned assessment visit to

Mali by the African Union in the context of proposals for a regional intervention

force. I encourage further collaboration by the countries of the subregion to

reinforce collaboration with the Government and MINUSMA on issues relating to

border security and intelligence sharing, as well as through the United Nations

integrated strategy for the Sahel. I also commend the efforts of the Group of Five

for the Sahel to support those endeavours.

62. I am concerned by the increase in human rights violations and abuses

documented by MINUSMA, in addition to the slow progress in combating impunity.

There can be no sustainable solution to the conflict in Mali without accountability. I

call upon the Malian authorities to swiftly conduct criminal proceedings and bring

the perpetrators of human rights violations and abuses to justice. I urge the

Government to hold itself to the highest standards of due process and abide by its

international human rights obligations in the conduct of its counter -terrorism

operations in central and northern Mali. I welcome the progress made in the

functioning of the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission. I encourage the

Malian parties to ensure that the appointment of the additional commissioners will

not result in the politicization of the Commission and the undermining of its

credibility.

63. The return of basic services and the establishment of income -generating

activities in central and northern regions remain critical to addressing the continuing

humanitarian concerns and unemployment among young people and former

combatants, who are vulnerable to radicalization and recruitment by violent actors. I

strongly encourage the Government to sustain its efforts to expand the coverage of

basic social services in the central and northern regions to ensure that conflict-

affected communities benefit from the long-awaited dividends of peace. I also call

upon the Government to make progress on the development strategy for the north,

presented at the international conference for the economic recovery and

development of Mali held in Paris on 22 October 2015, in addition to the

sustainable development fund to which it pledged to contribute 450 million euros

over the period from 2016 to 2018.

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64. Lastly, I wish to express my full support for my new Special Representative

for Mali and Head of MINUSMA, Mahamat Saleh Annadif, who has demonstrated

an indefatigable dynamism, affinity for working productively with all the partners to

the peace process and commitment to United Nations personnel working in a

challenging environment. I commend the members of the international mediation

team for their sustained support for the Malian parties. I also pay special tribute to

the men and women of MINUSMA and the troop-contributing countries and

police-contributing countries for their dedication and contribution to the Mission. I

also express my gratitude to the African Union, the Economic Community of West

African States, the European Union and bilateral partners, United Nations agencies,

funds and programmes, non-governmental organizations and all other partners,

many of which have been operating under difficult conditions and facing grave

threats in a hostile environment, for their contribution in support of peace and

stability in Mali.

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Annex

Military and police strength of the United Nations Multidimensional

Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali as at 15 March 2016

Military component

(staff officers and units)

Police component

Individual police officers Formed police units Total police

Country Men Women Total Men Women Total Men Women Total Men Women Total

Albania

Algeria

Argentina

Armenia

Australia

Austria

Bangladesh 1 466 1 466 140 140 140 140

Belgium 7 7

Benin 259 259 29 1 30 140 140 169 1 170

Bhutan 3 3

Bolivia (Plurinational

State of)

Bosnia and

Herzegovina 2 2

Botswana

Brazil

Brunei Darussalam

Bulgaria

Burkina Faso 1 692 29 1 721 21 2 23 21 2 23

Burundi 13 13 13 13

Cambodia 289 13 302

Cameroon 2 2 20 20 20 20

Canada

Central African

Republic

Chad 1 447 1 447 4 4 4 4

Chile

China 387 15 402

Colombia

Congo

Côte d’Ivoire

Croatia

Cyprus

Czech Republic 1 1

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Military component

(staff officers and units)

Police component

Individual police officers Formed police units Total police

Country Men Women Total Men Women Total Men Women Total Men Women Total

Democratic Republic

of the Congo 5 1 6 5 1 6

Denmark 18 1 19

Djibouti 1 1 1 1

Dominica

Dominican Republic

Ecuador

Egypt 68 68

El Salvador 88 4 92

Estonia 1 1

Ethiopia

Fiji

Finland 4 4

France 29 29 9 9 9 9

Gabon

Gambia 4 4

Germany 18 18 16 3 19 16 3 19

Ghana 218 218

Greece

Grenada

Guatemala

Guinea 848 6 854 3 3 3 3

Guinea-Bissau 1 1

Honduras

Hungary

Iceland

India

Indonesia 142 4 146

Ireland

Israel

Italy 2 2

Jamaica

Japan

Jordan 1 1 2 2 2 2

Kazakhstan

Kenya 3 4 7

Kyrgyzstan

Latvia 1 1

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Military component

(staff officers and units)

Police component

Individual police officers Formed police units Total police

Country Men Women Total Men Women Total Men Women Total Men Women Total

Lesotho

Liberia 47 2 49

Libya

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Madagascar 2 2 2 2

Malawi

Malaysia

Mauritania

Mongolia

Montenegro

Morocco

Mozambique

Namibia

Nepal 146 4 150

Netherlands 461 30 491 18 5 23 18 5 23

New Zealand

Niger 858 6 864 12 12 12 12

Nigeria 76 13 89 2 2 109 31 140 111 31 142

Norway 71 9 80

Pakistan

Palau

Papua New Guinea

Paraguay

Peru

Philippines

Poland

Portugal 2 2

Qatar

Republic of Korea

Republic of Moldova

Romania 1 1 2 2 2 2

Russian Federation

Rwanda

Samoa

Senegal 666 10 676 16 2 18 276 4 280 292 6 298

Serbia

Sierra Leone 7 1 8

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Military component

(staff officers and units)

Police component

Individual police officers Formed police units Total police

Country Men Women Total Men Women Total Men Women Total Men Women Total

Singapore

Slovakia

Slovenia

South Africa

Spain

Sri Lanka

Sweden 202 21 223 2 3 5 2 3 5

Switzerland 4 4 3 3 3 3

Tajikistan

Thailand

The former Yugoslav

Republic of

Macedonia

Timor-Leste

Togo 920 15 935 3 3 134 6 140 137 6 143

Tunisia 46 1 47 46 1 47

Turkey 1 1 1 1

Uganda

Ukraine

United Kingdom of

Great Britain and

Northern Ireland 1 1 2

United Republic of

Tanzania

United States of

America 10 10

Uruguay

Vanuatu

Yemen 7 7 9 9 9 9

Zambia

Zimbabwe

Total 10 496 188 10 684 239 18 257 799 41 840 1 038 59 1 097

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